A School-Hospital Remotivation Program

Sixth-grade students in a social studies class serve as remotivational therapists for chronic geriatric patients in a program begun in September 1972 at the Veterans Administration Hospital in St. Cloud, Minnesota. The students meet with the patients for 45 minutes twice a week. The remotivation technique provides the structure for the sessions, which focus on socialization, self-appreciation, shared experiences, community events, current events, and travel. The program has increased ties between hospital and community and has improved the quality of life for elderly patients.